The Nine Things That Affect Your Car's Resale Value
Some drivers obsess on it from the day they drive their new car off the lot--and some don't give it... Read More
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SAFETY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
Not yet tested
NHTSA
Not yet tested
IIHS
The Volt doesn't currently make any synthetic noise outside the car to alert pedestrians of its presence, as the Nissan Leaf does.
Cars.com
The Leaf emits an artificial, gear-whine-like noise at low speed (inaudible in the cabin), as well as a "beep-beep" when the car's in reverse.
Wall Street Journal
The 2011 Nissan Leaf comes with six airbags: front and side bags for the front passengers, and side-curtain bags that cover the length of the front and rear side window openings.
Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released crash-test ratings for the Leaf.
And while Nissan believes it knows how the Leaf will do on the newly stringent test procedures for 2011 cars, it isn't sharing those expectations. It will wait for the official ratings to be released, which it hopes will take place within a few months.
It did note that the battery pack suffered no damage in its own 40-mph side offset crash tests. Other Nissan Leaf safety systems include standard anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, traction control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.
Conclusion
The 2011 Leaf is an all-new vehicle, but its global design and full feature set are promising.
